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Kabul
  Today, Afghanistan is emerging from still another war, a lengthy civil conflict that for a decade pitted Soviet and troops and mujahidin, or "freedom fighters." A third of the nation's citizens crossed into Pakistan and Iran to flee the turmoil. Through it all, the ethnically mixed Afghans, speaking more than 70 languages and dialects, remained fiercely independent, proud of their many heritages and of the nation for which their ancestors shed their blood. There is a lingering problem with opium use throughout the land. On the map, Afghanistan looks like a tortoise with an outstretched neck. The neck of the tortoise is the most highly elevated part of the country, the Wakhan Panhandle. In this northeastern corner, the ranges of the Hindu Kush climb to the Pamir, a great knot of mountains where Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and China meet. The Hindu Kush slopes southwest into the main body of Afghanistan, forming a broad network of highlands. North of the highlands, forming part of the border with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, flows the Amu Darya (formerly called the Oxus), one of Asia's chief rivers. The eastern part of Afghanistan is a region of swift-flowing rivers, green and fertile valleys, and highlands. Deserts mark the south and southwest. Afghanistan is an arid country whose agricultural life depends to a large extent on the amount of snow stored on the mountain slopes from one year to the next. Intricate irrigation systems channel water to most parts of the country. Afghanistan has a continental climate, marked by severe winters, hot summers, and extreme shifts in daily temperature. Though all of Afghanistan's citizens are called Afghans, its population is made up of a variety of peoples, including Pashtoon, Tajiks, Ha-zara, Uzbeks, and Turkomans. The Pashtoon (38 percent of all Afghans) and the Tajiks (25 percent) are the major ethnic groups. The Pashtoon speak Pashto, a language related to Farsi. The Tajiks and Hazara (19 percent of the nation) speak Dari, the Afghan form of Farsi. The Hazara are believed to be descendants of the 13th-century Mongol invaders who were led by Genghis Khan. The Uzbeks and Turkomans are of Turkish origin. Pashto is the tongue of about one-third of the population. Dari, spoken by about half of all Afghans, is commonly used in trade. Islam, the Afghans' common religion, is the nation's main unifying force, pervading all aspects of life, despite government attempts to secularize Afghan society during the 1980s. At various times in the past, the country was a stronghold of the Zoroastrian and Buddhist religions. Legend has it that Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism, was born in Balkh, probably during the 7th century b.c. Islam reached the country during the 7th century a.d., but it was not until 1895 that the last holdouts against Islam, the Kafirs, were forcibly converted. The rugged nature of the land has produced a hardy, courageous people strongly identified with sedentary farming and town life. Since its geographic location has made Afghanistan a crossroads for invading armies, the Afghans have also developed excellent fighting qualities. Although they may sometimes appear arrogant and fierce to outsiders, they are friendly and hospitable to strangers and have a keen sense of humor. Its high ranges and isolated valleys have made Afghanistan a land of many villages and small towns. Although in recent years the cities have expanded greatly, most Afghans still follow age-old customs. Don’t be surprised by the widespread poverty of Afghanistan. A typical house in an Afghan village is square or rectangular and made of mud or mud brick, it is divided into three or four rooms furnished with rugs, pillows, and mattresses. The flat roof is made of poles reinforced with a thick layer of mud, often mixed with straw and chalk. Four walls 9 or 10 ft. (about 3 m.) high are built above the roof, which serves as a sitting room and sleeping porch in hot weather and as a place to dry fruits. More prosperous owners may erect towers on the four corners of their houses, or at least a single tower on one corner. Houses that have such towers are called qa/as. A qala may house one or several family units. Immediately inside the single large gate, there is a room called the hujra, for housing guests and travelers. The hujra is also the center of social activities for the qala, especially on long winter nights, when families entertain themselves with storytelling and group singing. Here, too, sohbat is held—a potluck meal to which everyone contributes. Round loaves of unleavened bread are a staple of the diet, which also includes goat, mutton, beef, chicken, yogurt, rice, and fruit. Most Afghans cook over wood or charcoal fires. Everyday life centers around the fields, gardens, and vineyards on which the people depend for a living. Men find evening fellowship in the hujra, especially in winter. When the weather turns warm, they turn to sports and dancing. Horse racing, ghosai, and buz-kashi are popular. Ghosai is a vigorous wrestling game in which a player tries to reach a goal while nine teammates run interference. Each player hops on one foot and with one hand holds the other foot behind his back. Buz-kashi is played by two teams on horseback. Afghans are gradually adopting Western dress in the cities, but in the villages, people still wear traditional clothing. In general, an Afghan man wears a knee-length shirt, which may be embroidered, over full trousers. In the summer he wears a cotton shawl around his shoulders, and in the winter his coat is a long woolen or quilted chapan. The most popular headgear is a turban wound around an embroidered cap, or a karakul (lambskin) cap without the turban. | |
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Article Contributors Anonymous user updated 1 year ago |
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